

Severe dehydration may result, followed by low blood pressure. Ingestion: If someone swallows a significant amount of ricin, he or she would develop vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody. Finally, low blood pressure and respiratory failure may occur, leading to death.

Poison antidote skin#
This would make breathing even more difficult, and the skin might turn blue. Heavy sweating may follow, as well as fluid building up in the lungs (pulmonary edema). Inhalation: Within a few hours of inhaling significant amounts of ricin, the likely symptoms would be respiratory distress (difficulty breathing), fever, cough, nausea, and tightness in the chest. Specific effects of ricin poisoning depend on whether ricin was inhaled, swallowed, touched or injected. What are the signs and symptoms of ricin exposure? Ricin kills the cells in a person's body by preventing the cells from making the proteins they need. However, contact with ricin-contaminated surfaces or people may transfer this poison and cause illness. Depending on the route of exposure (such as injection), the amount of ricin that would fit on the head of a pin could be enough to kill an adult.īecause ricin is a chemical poison, the illness it causes cannot be spread from person-to-person. Pellets of ricin, or ricin dissolved in a liquid, can also be injected into people's bodies. Ricin may enter the body through the skin when combined with certain chemicals or if the skin is damaged. People can also be poisoned by swallowing ricin-contaminated food or water. People can be poisoned by breathing in ricin mist or powder. It would take a deliberate act to use it as a poison. How can people be exposed to ricin?Īccidental exposure to ricin is highly unlikely.

Ricin has some potential medical uses in treating cancer. Ricin is part of the waste "mash" produced when castor oil is made. Where is ricin found, and how is it used?Ĭastor beans are grown and processed throughout the world to make castor oil. It is a stable substance and does not break down easily in typical indoor or outdoor temperatures. As a terrorism agent, ricin can be used as a powder, a mist, a pellet, or can be dissolved in water or weak acid. Ricin (rye-sin) is a chemical poison present in castor beans.
Poison antidote portable#
